Control apparatus for power plants driving a variable torque load device



Jam 8, l957 F. c. REGGIO CONTROL APPARATUS POR POWER PLANTS DRIVING A VARIABLE TORQUE LOAD DEVICE Original Filed Dec. l5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N .DAK

Jan- 8, 1957 c REGGlo 2,776,720

F. CONTROL APPARATUS F'OR POWER PLANTS DRIVING A VARIABLE TORQUE LOAD DEVICE Original Filed Dec, l5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .96 99 97 96 8 VT VL o LP -Y o a105 -21 48 66 100 o o N 101 105105 p INVENT OR.

United States Patent CONTROL APPARATUS FOR POWER PLANTS gllgglEG A VARIABLE TORQUE LOAD Ferdinando Carlo Reggio, Norwalk, Conn.

Original application December 15, 1941, Serial No.

423,001, now abandoned. Divided and this application November 10, 1953, Serial No. 391,255

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 423,001, tiled December l5, 1941, now abandoned.

The invention relates to improvements in engine control or regulating devices and has particular reference to improved controls for automotive and aircraft powerplants.

An object of the invention is to provide a regulating device for automatically varying the power output of the engine or prime mover lsubstantially as a preselected function of one or more engine operating conditions or other variable conditions affecting engine operation.

Another object is to provide a regulating device for automatically limiting the maximum engine output to a value dependent on at least one variable condition affecting the engine operation such as an engine operating temperature.

Another object is to provide a device for controlling the engine power output by automatically varying the engine fuel supply, or the induction or manifold air pressure, or the engine torque in dependence upon preselected engine operative conditions and upon the adjustment of a manual control member.

An additional object is to provide an improved control for regulating the engine either directly from a manually adjustable control member or automatically in predetermined relation to preselected variables.

A further object is to provide an improved regulator for supercharged engines having a variable speed supercharger, such for example as a supercharger or compressor driven by an exhaust gas turbine, for controlling the supercharger in predetermined relation to preselected operating variables.

A further object is to provide a control for regulating the speed and torque or the speed and fuel flow of an engine automatically in preselected coordination.

Still another object is to provide an engine and propeller control for regulating the engine fuel flow and the propeller blade angle automatically to obtain preselected operational schedules.

A still further object is to provide an aircraft engine control for regulating fuel flow and propeller blade angle according to an approximate predetermined schedule with temperature and density compensation.

Still another object is to provide an engine control having condition selecting means for obtaining various preselected schedules of power and speed required for different operating conditions, and power selecting means.

Other objects and advantages will be more particularly pointed out hereinafter or will become apparent as the description proceeds.

The drawings, in which there are diagrammaticall illustrated suitable constructional arrangements for the purpose of disclosing the invention, are for purpose of illustration only and are not to be taken as limiting or restricting the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view of an engine regulator and includes in reduced scale a diagrammatic illustration of an aircraft engine and control instrumentation therefor.

Figures 2 and 3 are dagrammatic illustrations of partially modified constructions and arrangements of engine regulator.

Figure 4 is an example of engine calibration curve.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section along the line 5 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary modification of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary modification of Figure l.

The characteristic power calibration curves of an aircraft engine, represented in Figure 4, are referred to the axes of abscissae OX and ordinates OY representing the engine manifold temperature and the indicated mean effective pressure respectively. The values of said temperature and pressure increase in the direction indicated by the arrows.

The four curves of Figure 4 represent the result of actual engine tests conducted with a specified fuel, at a given value of engine speed and exhaust pressure. The curve A represents the engine indicated mean effective pressure developed under a constant value of manifold pressure for different values of manifold temperature. The slope of this curve :shows a decrease of indicated M. E. P. with increase in manifold temperature, which is due mainly to the corresponding reduction of density in the induction manifold. Curves B and C similarly show the indicated M. E. P. developed for two different lower constant values of manifold pressure. The dotted line L represents the upper limit for continuous operation, that is, the highest values of M. E. P. that can safely be developed by the engine under varying manifold temperature. It is apparent from the curve L that the maximum permissible value of the manifold pressure, and in turn the indicated M. E, P., diminishes as the manifold temperature increases.

ln highly supercharged aircraft engines in which said temperature may vary within wide limits, engine regula tors limiting the maximum engine torque or manifold pressure at a constant value have the disadvantage that they either limit the engine output at an unnecessarily low value under low manifold temperature, or overload the engine at elevated temperature, or both. Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a device for limiting the maximum engine output, or torque, or manifold pressure, or fuel ow, to a value varying substantially as a predetermined function of the manifold temperature. v

Moreover, the upper safe limit for continuous operation varies upon changes of fuel characteristics and other engine operative conditions such an exhaust pressure, cylinder temperature, engine speed, surrounding atrnospheric conditions. Thus a further object of the invention is to provide a regulator for varying the engine output, or the manifold pressure, or the engine torque, upon variation of one or more preselected variables such as the above.

While the curve L represents the upper safe limit for continuous operation, other similar curves may be determined corresponding to a maximum safe temporary en gine overload, such as the upper limit for takeoll` power, which is also generally found to be dependent upon engine operative conditions such as manifold temperature, exhaust pressure, etc. Accordingly, still another object is to provide a regulating device as outlined above, including a control member for selectively limiting the maximum engine output either at a safe value for continuous operation, or at a higher temporary value al-so variable upon changes of preselected variables. Furthermore, the regulating device may be employed for automatically adjusting the engine torque, or output, or the manifold ICS :ressure, at values lower than those corresponding to the upper limit for continuous operation, as will be apparent from the following description.

One form of the invention is illustrated in Figure l in combination with an engine such as an aircraft radial spark-ignition engine, although the invention is in no way limited in its application to any particular form or type of engine. Such engine 6 has cylinders 7 receiving air or combustible mixture from a blower or compressor or supercharger 8 by Way of pipes or manifold 9 forming part of the engine induction system. The supercharger ts is driven at variable speed by an exhaust turbine 10 connected by exhaust pipe 11 to the cylinder exhaust ports. The flow of exhaust gases to the turbine nozzles is regulated by a valve or waste gate 12. When the latter is rotated clockwise by means of an actuating lever i4 all exhaust gases from the engine will be delivered to the turbine, causing high speed operation thereof. On the other hand, when the valve 12 is rotated counterclockwise, the exhaust gas is discharged through the duct 15 and the gas turbine becomes inoperative. At intermediate positions of the valve 12 more or less exhaust gas will be supplied to the turbine, and the speed thereof will assume corresponding intermediate values. A control member 16 is connected with lever 14 by way of rod 17, lever 18 and rod 19 and may be employed directly to control the adjustment of the valve 12 and in turn the speed of the supercharger S and the pressure of the air or the combustible mixture delivered to the engine cylinders by way of conduit or manifold 9, hereinafter referred to as manifold pressure, compressor pressure or supercharged liuid pressure.

The engine 6 drives a variable pitch propeller provided with a servomotor such as a hydraulic or electric motor controlled by an engine driven speed governor adjustable by means of lever 2l), rod 21 and control member 22, for controlling the propeller pitch or blade angle thereof automatically to keep the engine speed constant at a value determined by the adjustment of the control member 22. In the arrangement diagrammatically indicated in Figure 2 each of the propeller blades 95 is rotatable about a spider arm 96 attached to the propeller shaft 97. The latter has an internal chamber 98 closed by a cap 99 axially slidable on the shaft 97 under hydraulic pressure supplied to the chamber 98 by way of the pipe 102. The cap 99 has studs 10) which engage slots in lugs 101 carried by the blades 95. When the propeller is in operation centrifugal and aerodynamic forces tend to turn the blades 95 into maximum pitch against hydraulic pressure.

A piston valve 104 controls the admission of lubricating oil under pressure from a source, not shown, through pipes 16S and 1&2 to the chamber 9S and the discharge of oil from the latter through pipe 102 and an oil return pipe 106 back to the engine. The piston valve 164 is actuated by the centrifugal force of the engine driven flyballs 107 acting against the load of spring 108 whose load is variably adjusted by means of lever 199 keyed to the shaft of lever 2i).

Under steady flying conditions the llyballs 107 are held in equilibrium by the load of the spring 108 acting against the centrifugal force, variations in engine speed causing adjustment of the valve 104 and thus effecting changes of propeller pitch, or blade angle, tending to maintain the engine speed substantially constant at a value corresponding to the adjustment of the governor spring 1&8. The speed at which the governor will automatically maintain the engine may be changed by varying the angular setting of the pilots control lever 22 connected with lever 20, thereby altering the load of the governor spring 103.

Two temperature responsive elements 24 and 25, the former connected to the manifold 9 and responsive to the temperature of the lair or combustible mixture therein, hereinafter referred to also as manifold temperature or supercharged uid temperature, and the latter responsive to the temperature of the engine cylinder or suitable part 4 associated therewith, or to the coolant temperature in a liquid cooled engine, are connected by way of rods to the ends of lever 26 rotatably carried at an intermediate point thereof by a bell-crank lever 27 for actuating a link or rod 28. An increase of temperature of either element rotates lever 27 clockwise.

The engine regulating device, generally indicated at 29, may conveniently comprise a casing 3() having two parallel cylindrical chambers therein. Within one of said chambers there is disposed a reciprocable piston 31 attached to a rod 32 rotatably connected with a lever 13 at an intermediate point thereof. ln the other cylinder' there are mounted valve elements such as a reciprocable sleeve 34- provided with an axial cylindrical bore within which there is slidably mounted a plunger valve 35 having two spaced cylindrical discs or lands 36 and 37 for controlling ports 33 and 39 which are formed in the sleeve 34 and are so arranged as to be in permanent ow communication, by way of annular grooves formed in the sleeve 34 and ducts 4t) and 41, with the cylinder' chambers on either side of piston 31, respectively.

The annular chamber between lands 36 and 37 within the sleeve valve 34 is connected by way of suitable ports and line 43 with a source of pressure iiuid, such as oil from the engine pressure lubricatingv system, while the two portions of the sleeve bore external to the discs 35 and 37 are intercommunicatng by way of conduits 44 and 45, and are maintained at relatively low pressure through the return line 46 leading oil bacl; to a reservoir or oil sump. The above outlined hydraulic servomot-or is a known device, and it will be readily understood that with the valve elements in relative neutral adjustment, with ports 38 and 39 closed as shown in Figure l, the piston 31 is maintained stationary. Either a displacement toward the right of the plunger valve 35 or a movement to the left of the sleeve 34 causes the cylinder charnber on the left side of the piston 31 to be connected with the oil return line 46, while oil under pressure is admitted to the opposite side of the piston, thus displacing the latter to the left and determining clockwise rotation of lever about its upper connection, and counter-clockwise rotation of valve 12. Opposite rotation of the latter is obviously determined by displacement of the plunger valve 3S toward the left or by movement of the sleeve 34 to r the right.

The left end of the plunger valve 35 is connected with a lever 48 at an intermediate point thereof, while the lower end of said lever is provided with a pin 49 cooperating with a slot 50 formed in a disc or cam 51 keyed on the shaft carrying the lever 52, which is connected with the rod 28 actuated by the bell-crank lever 27. Thus the adjustment of the lower end of the lever 4S varies as a function of the temperature of the elements 24 and 25, said function depending upon the conguration of the slot 5l). The upper end of the lever 43 is actuated by a member 54 secured to the movable walls of two diaphragm chambers or bellows 55 and 56. The former bellows is secured to the cover 53 of the housing 3l), the pressure within said bellows is kept by way pipe 57 at the same value as in the engine induction sy '-m or manifold 9, while bellows 56, provided with a calibrated spring 59 tending to expand it, is positioned by a member 53 slidably mounted in the wall of the housing 39. lever 60, rotatably carried at an intermediate point thereof by member 58, is connected at its lower and upper ends with an adjusting member 6l and, by means of rofl 6?.. with a manually adjustable member 63, respectively.

The adjustment of the upper end of lever 43 is thus dependent on the adjustment of member 63 and the cngine manifold pressure. lf the areas of bellows and 56 are equal, changes of pressure within the housing 3l) do not affect the adjustment of the lever 5.13, the latter being thus responsive to the absolute manifold pressure. If one of the bellows has larger area than the other, as shown for instance in Figure 7, then an increase ct' pressure' within the housing 30 will tend to contract said larger bellows, thus displacing the lever 48. Moreover, if bellows 56 is not highly evacuated, but contains 'a substantial mass of expansible tluid, then the adjustment of the lever 48 will also be affected by changes of temperature within the housing 30.

The control member 63 may be provided with notches cooperating with a resiliently loaded detent 64. Four notches, 131 to 134, are indicated in Figure 1.

The sleeve 34 is actuated by a lever 65, which is connected at one end thereof with a rod 66 terminating in a pin 67 cooperating with a slot 68 formed in the pilots control member 22, whereby the adjustment of the sleeve 34 is dependent on the setting of the control lever 22 and therefore on the engine speed. The other end of the lever 65 carries a pin 70 cooperating with a slot 71 formed in a rod 72 slidably mounted in a bore of thehousing 73 and connected with an evacuated, resiliently loaded bellows 74 supported by an adjustable member 75 carried by the housing cover 76 which closes the bellows chamber. The latter is maintained at exhaust pressure by means of a pipe 77 connected with the engine exhaust pipe 11. 'I'hus a change of exhaust pressure determines a corresponding displacement of the sleeve 34 dependent upon the form of the slot or cam 71. l

The operation of the regulating device may be substantially as follows: assuming the control member 63 to be set at maximu power for continuous operation, that 1s, with the detent 64 engaging the notch 132, the control lever 16 in full open adjustment, and the power lever 22 set for the desired value of engine speed, then the valve 12, as shown in Figure l, will be controlled by the hydraulic servomotor to maintain the engine manifold pressure at a certain value depending on engine operating conditions as will presently be pointed out. A variation of manifold pressure, for example a drop thereof, determines contraction of bellows 55 and displacement of the plunger valve 35 to the left, thus setting the piston 31 in motion to rotate the valve 12 clockwise, accelerate the speed of the compressor or supercharger 8 and increase the manifold pressure until the initial value thereof is restored, whereupon the bellows 55 resumes its initial position and returns the plunger valve 35 to neutral adjustment relative to the sleeve 34. If now the manifold temperature, or the cylinder temperature, or both vary, for instance increase, determining counter-clockwise rotation of the disc or cam 51, then the lower end of the lever 48 and the plunger valve 35 will be displaced to the right, causing counter-clockwise rotation of the valve 12 to reduce the supercharger speed and decrease the manifold pressure until the bellows 55 has collapsed the necessary amount to bring the plunger Valve 35 back to neutral position. A lower manifold pressure is thus obtained corresponding to the higher manifold and/ or cylinder temperature; and the form of the cam or slot 51 may be so determined that the manifold pressure varies with the manifold temperature substantially as indicated, for instance, by the curve L of Figure 4. Similarly, either a variation of exhaust pressure causing expansion or contraction of bellows 74, axial displacement of the rod 72 and corresponding displacement of the upper end of the lever 65, or a change in the adjustment of the speed control lever 22 causing a corresponding displacement of the lower end of the same lever, produce an axial displacement of the sleeve 34 which sets the piston 31 in motion to vary the manifold pressure until bellows 55 has expanded or contracted to the extent of bringing the plunger valve 35 again to neutral adjustment relative to the sleeve 34 in the new position of the latter. It is therefore clear that the manifold pressure is caused to vary as a predetermined function of manifold temperature, cylinder or other engine operating temperature, exhaust pressure, engine speed, said function obviously depending upon or being determined by the form of the slots or cams 50, 71 and 68,

or by equivalent devices which may be substituted for said slots. A

As already stated, if the bellows 55 and 56 have different elfective areas, and if the bellows 56 contains a substantial mass of gas or other expansible uid, then the manifold pressure becomes also dependent upon the pressure and the temperature within the housing 30, which may be cause, for instance, to be substantially the same as the surrounding atmospheric or entering air pressure and temperature.

The above automatic regulation occurs when the control lever 16 is in fully open adjustment, but at any time the pilot may rotate said lever clockwise for directly actuating the valve 12 to reduce the manifold pressure; and as long as the latter is below the maximum preselected value corresponding to automatic operation, the bellows 5S remains contracted, with the plunger valve to the left of its neutral position and the piston 31 stationary in its extreme right position, the adjustment of the valve 12 being thus determined by the adjustment of the control lever 16. The regulating device however stands ready to resume control as the manifold pressure attains said maximum predetermined value. The same lever 16 may also be used to control the engine in the event of failure of the regulating device.

A displacement of control member 63, for example toward the left, determines contraction of the bellows 56 and compression of the spring 59. The increased spring load in turn contracts the bellows 55, causing clockwise rotation of the valve 12 and thereby increasing the manifold pressure until the bellows 55 expands, against the increased load of spring 59, the amount necessary to bring the plunger valve 35 back to neutral position. The regulating device will thus maintain higher manifold pressure, or higher engine indicated M. E. P., which may be represented in Figure 4 by a line substantially similar to the curve L but higher than the latter. In the example shown in Figure 1 the control member 63, which actuates the lever 60 by means of rod 62, is provided with four notches, 131 to 134, arranged to cooperate with the resilient detent 64. The adjustment illustrated, with the notch 132 engaged by the detent, may correspond to engine operation up to maximum manifold pressure (or maximum M. E. P.) for continuous operation. When the control member 63 is moved all the way to the left so as to engage the notch 134 with the detent, the regulator is set for maximum take-off power, which can safely be maintained only for very short time. The member 63 may be moved so as to engage the remaining notches 133 or 131; in the former case the regulator is set to permit temporary overload such as may be required for rapid climbing to high altitude, while in the latter case cruising power operation may be obtained, corresponding to minimum fuel consumption. The foregoing assumes, of course, that the control lever 16 is in fully open adjustment, and that the speed control lever 22 is suitably set to obtain just the power output actually desired. That is to say, for a given adjustment of the control member 63 the actual engine power output may be controlled by varying the setting of the power lever 22, from the minimum values of engine speed and manifold pressure up to the limit of engine power determined by the actual setting of the member 63. It will be clear from the foregoing that this lever 22 has a double function: it controls, through the lever 20 of the governor, the engine speed, and it also controls, by means of the cam connection 68 and depending structure, the engine manifold pressure or M. E. P. It controls, that is, the two factors of engine power output, according to a schedule which is determined primarily by the configuration of the cam or slot 68; and such basic or approximate schedule or relationship between engine speed and manifold pressure, or engine speed and fuel ow, may be modified by altering the setting of the manual member 63, and may further be varied automatically by means of the various compensating elements a1- ready described, which actuate the sleeve 34 or the plunger valve 35 upon changes of various operating conditions such as temperature, atmospheric or entering air density or pressure, exhaust pressure, etc.

As a result, the engine regulator will automatically so regulate and coordinate the fuel flow and the propeller blade angle as to permit full utilization of the permissible engine power safely obtainable under each set of operating conditions, while protecting the same against operation beyond its safe limits. Moreover, the various parts of the mechanism may be so designed as to obtain automatically various and different results under different selected conditions. Thus, when the control member 63 is set for cruising power, the portions of the connections between the various elements of the regulating device, such as the slots 50, 71 and 68, which are effective during cruising operation, may be so designed as to coordinate engine speed and manifold pressure to obtain maximum fuel economy. On the other hand, when the control member 63 is set, for instance, for take-off power, the various portions of the slots and other connections then effective will preferably be designed to obtain maximum performance irrespective of fuel consumption.

The three manual control elements 63, 16 and 22 may be variously combined or interconnected to be operated by a single member, and timing devices may be provided in connection with member 63 to shift the same away from take-ofi` or temporary overload adjustment after it has remainedl a predetermined time in said position.

Fuels of higher antiknock rating have corresponding curves of maximum power for continuous output which are higher' than the line L of Figure 4 and often have smaller slope at high manifold temperature. The regulating device of Figure l may be adjusted for such fuels by suitably adjusting the element or screw 61, the element 75, or both.

It is to be clearly understood that the invention may be applied to any suitable type of engine having any known type of supercharger or compressor, however driven, and to any type of throttle controlled engine, the latter case being illustrated for instance in Figures 2 and 3. Referring now particularly to Figure 2, in which reference numerals already used in Figure l designate similar parts, the engine 3G is controlled by means of a conventional throttle valve connected with lever 31 actuated by the regulating device 82 through the rod 19. rThe lever 81 of Figure 2 is equivalent to the lever 14 of Figure l in that clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation thereof determines an increase or a decrease of the engine manifold pressure, respectively. One temperature responsive element S3 may be provided to actuate the lever 52, such element being preferably, although not necessarily, so arranged as to be responsive not only to the temperature of the air or combustible mixture in the manifold 9, but also, to a predetermined extent, to the temperature of the surrounding parts of the engine cylinder 7. The regulating devices 82 and 29 are similar with the exception that bellows 74 has been eliminated from the former, the upper end of lever 65 thereof being pivoted on the shaft S4 carried by the housing. Moreover in the regulator 82 the bellows 56 has a smaller eective area than the bellows 55, and means such as a vent 136 is provided for keeping the pressure within the housing 30 substantially equal to the surrounding pressure and in turn to the engine exhaust back-pressure, as the exhaust ports of the engine 80 are substantially open to the atmosphere. The manifold pressure of this engine may thus be automatically regulated, or the maximum value thereof may be limited, substantially as a predetermined function of the manifold and engine cylinder temperature or other operating temperature, surrounding atmospheric pressure and engine speed, said function depending upon the adjustment of the control member connected with the link or rod 62.

lt has already been pointed out that with the regulator described in connection with Figure l when the pilot desires to vary the thrust of the powerplant and moves the power control lever 22, he alters the speed setting of the propeller governor lever 20 and simultaneously, through the slot connection 68, varies the adjustment of the sleeve 34 thus changing the pressure setting of the regulator; and it will be clear that any desired basic coordination or schedule between the resulting variations of engine speed and manifold pressure or engine fuel flow may be obtained by suitably designing the slot 63. If however it is not desired that the manifold pressure or fuel ow vary with the engine speed, then the regulator may be simplified by eliminating the operative connection between the control member 22 actuating the rod 66 and the sleeve 34. Accordingly, Figure 6 shows a modification of Figure l or Figure 3, in which the lower end of the lever 65, instead of being operatively connected by way of linkage 66 with the control member 22, is pivoted to the housing.

While in the embodiment disclosed in connection with Figures l and 2 the regulating device is so arranged as to regulate the manifold pressure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other arrangements may be utilized without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention. For example, since the torque and the manifold pressure or the fuel flow are mutually dependent variables, devices substantially similar to those already described may be arranged to regulate thc engine power by controlling the engine speed and torque according to a predetermined schedule and as a preselected function of one or more operating conditions. One such arrangement is illustrated in Figure 3, in which the engine 36 is provided as usual with means for controlling the fuel ilow, such as a throttle valve actuated by a lever 81. Rotation of this valve will of course determine concomitant variations in a number of interrelated conditions such as engine fuel supply, manifold pressure, engine torque, power output. A torque meter 87 is provided, such as a hydraulic torque responsive device connected with a planetary speed reduction gear arranged between the engine crankshaft and the propeller shaft, for maintaining the oil pressure in suitable conduit and reservoir means or pressure line 88 at all times proportional to the torque transmitted from the engine to the propeller. A torque meter of this typc is diagrammatically indicated in Figure 5, showing a section through the nose of the engine of Figure 3 perpendicular to the shaft thereof, wherein indicates the engine nose housing containing a reduction gear of the planetary type having planet pinions 116 carried by journals 117 supported by an annular member, not shown, rotatable with the propeller shaft 118 and engaged between a sun gear 119 secured to the engine crankshaft and an outer ring gear 120. The latter is connected by way of rod 121 with a piston 122. An engine driven pump 123 discharges oil under pressure into chamber 124 on the outer side of the piston 122 for applying to said piston a load balancing the tangential load, proportional to the propeller torque, transmitted by the outer ring gear 129 to the rod 121. Oil escapes from the chamber 124 to the low pressure chamber 12S by way of a duct 126 and a restricted passage of variable effective area 127 between the cover 87 and the piston 122, whereby the eective area decreases or increases upon a displacement of the piston 122 to the left or right, respectively. The torque transmitted through the reduction gear tends to rotate the outer ring gear counter-clockwise and displace the piston 122 toward the left, and is normally balanced by the oil pressure in the chamber 124. An increase of torque causes displacement of the piston 122 toward the left thereby reducing the effective area of the restricted passage 127 and increasing the oil pressure in the chamber 124 in proportion to the increase of torque, whereupon the equilibrium of the pistcn 122 is restored.

The engine regulating device 94) includes a pressure responsive element such as a bellows 91 connected by means of a pressure line 88 with the pressure chamber 11 acting in opposition to said resilient means and connected with said servo mechanism for restricting the rate of fuel ow to limit said torque, manually operable means for altering the effect of said resilient means, engine temperature responsive means connected with said servo mechanism for restricting the rate of fuel flow to limit said temperature; and means responsive to air pressure and capable of operating independently of said torque and temperature responsive means for varying the rate of fuel flow to compensate for altitude changes.

7. in a speed` torque and temperature control for an aircraft engine driving a variable-pitch propeller, the combination of speed responsive means for regulating the propeller pitch, engine fuel flow regulating means, engine torque responsive means for actuating said fuel flow regulating means to limit engine torque, engine temperature responsive means for actuating said fuel flow regulating means to limit said temperature, and a common control member for varying the effect of said speed, torque and temperature responsive means.

8. in a control system for an aircraft engine driving a variable-pitch propeller, the combination with speed responsive means for regulating the propeller pitch, of means responsive to air pressure varying with the altitude for regulating the rate of fuel tiow to the engine to compensate for air pressure changes, means responsive to engine torque for regulating the rate of fuel ow to control engine torque, means responsive to engine temperature for regulating the rate of fuel flow to control engine temperature, and a common control member for varying the effect of said speed, torque and temperature responsive means.

9. Thermal powerplant torque `and temperature control apparatus comprising in combination a fuel flow regulating device, powerplant torque responsive means operatively connected to said fuel regulating device for decreasing the rate of fuel flow upon increasing torque, temperature responsive means connected to the powerplant to sense variations of a temperature thereof resulting from combustion and increasing or decreasing upon increase or decrease in the rate of fuel flow to the powerplant, respectively, operatively connected to said fuel regulating device for decreasing the rate of fuel flow upon increase of said temperature, a common control member for varying the effect of said torque and temperature responsive means, and additional control means for varying the rate of fuel flow independently of said torque and temperature responsive means,

l0. ln regulating apparatus for a powerplant driving an adjustable torque load device, first control means responsive to torque for maintaining the torque at a selec-ted value, second control means responsive to a speed condition of the powerplant for maintaining said speed at a selected value, first adjusting means for modifying the action of said first control means to select the torque setting, second adjusting means for modifying the action of said second control means to select the speed setting, a control member connected with said first and second adjusting means to select both torque and speed according to a predetermined schedule, and additional control means responsive to variations of a temperature condition of the powerplant resulting from combustion for varying the operation of said rst control means to change the torque setting without altering the speed setting.

ll. A control apparatus for aircraft powerplant provided with variable pitch propeller and propeller speed control means, said apparatus including a servo mechanism for controlling the powerplant fuel supply, torque responsive means operatively connected with said servo mechanism for controlling the powerplant torque, means responsive to change of a powerplant temperature resulting from combustion operatively connected with said mechanism for decreasing the powerplant fuel supply upon increasing temperature so as to limit said powerplant temperature, means for varying the datum of said propeller speed control means and said servo mechanism, and common control means for positioning said datum varying means.

l2. In a regulating apparatus for an engine having fuel supply control means, the combination with a servo mechanism for actuating said fuel control means, of torque responsive means for actuating said servo mechanism in the direction to decrease the rate of fuel supply upon increase of torque, means responsive to variations of engine temperature resulting from combustion for actuating said servo mechanism in the direction to decrease the rate of fuel supply upon increase of said temperature, a first control -member operatively connected with said temperature responsive means vfor varying'the setting thereof, means responsive to air pressure varying with the altitude for actuating said servo `mechanism independently of said torque and temperature responsive means to vary the rate of fuel supply as a predetermined function of said air pressure, and a second control means operatively connected with said air pressure responsive means for varying the operative setting thereof.

13. In a control system for propulsion powerplant driving a variable pitch propeller, the combination of means responsive to changes of speed for varying the propeller pitch and means responsive to variations of torque and temperature of the powerplant for changing the input of fuel automatically to operate the powerplant over the power and speed range and wherein excessive torque or excessive powerplant temperature bring about fuel restriction, and control means adapted for manual regulation of fuel input in case of failure of said automatic fuel control.

14. A regulating system for a prime mover powerplant for the propeller propulsion of a body in a fluid medium, comprising a speed responsive control for holding the rotational speed of the prime mover substantially constant at a selected value in normal operation while the useful power output is varied by altering the propeller shaft torque, a torque and temperature control including a torquemeter for regulating the torque and means responsive to a prime mover temperature resulting from combustion for preventing excessive prime mover temperatures by automatically decreasing the torque, and means responsive to variations of surrounding air pressure and operating independently of said temperature responsive means for varying the torque as a preselected function of said air pressure.

l5. In a regulating apparatus for a powerplant driving a power shaft subject to variable load, the combination of speed control means including means sensing variations of powerplant speed for varying the load applied to said power shaft, fuel regulating means arranged to vary the rate of fuel supply to the powerplant, torque control means including a torque meter sensing variations of powerplant torque and connected to said fuel regulating means for decreasing the rate of fuel flow to the powerplant upon increase of torque, temperature control means including an element sensing variations of powerplant temperature resulting from combustion and operatively connected to said fuel regulating means for decreasing the rate of fuel flow to the powerplant upon increase of said temperature, control means arranged to be responsive to manual supervision, and means for operatively interconnecting `all of said control and regulating means.

16. A control system for thermal powe1plant including, in combination with a servo mechanism for controlling the powerplant rate of fuel How, powerplant torque responsive `means and powerplant temperature responsive means operatively connected to actuate said servo mechanism for restricting the fuel flow upon rise of torque or temperature to limit said torque and temperature; first manually operable control means for altering the setting of said torque and temperature responsive means; and means responsive to air pressure varying with the altitude and second manually operable control means each adapted 13 to vary the rate of fuel flow to the powerplant independently of the operation of said torque and temperature responsive means.

17. Inan engine control system, the combination with an adjustable engine speed control mechanism, of a fuel control mechanism including servomotor means for regulating the rate of engine fuel supply, engine torque responsive means operatively connected with said fuel control mechanism for actuating the same to limit the engine torque, temperature responsive means sensing variations of an engine operative temperature varying with the rate of engine fuel supply operatively connected with said fuel control mechanism for actuating the same to limit said engine temperature, and manually operable control means connected with said engine speed control mechanism for varying the setting thereof to select the engine speed and connected with said fuel control mechanism for varying the effect of said temperature responsive means to alter the limit of said engine temperature.

18. In an engine control apparatus, first regulating means including a torquemeter for controlling a first factor of engine power, second regulating means including engine speed responsive means for controlling a second factor of engine power, manually operable control means connected with said rst and second regulating means for variably adjusting the settings thereof to regulate said first and second factors of engine power according to a predetermined schedule, and means responsive to variations of engine operative temperature for varying said first factor of engine power and altering said schedule to maintain said engine temperature within preselected limits.

19. Apparatus for controlling a thermal powerplant having speed and fuel regulating means and a control member, including in combination, means responsive to a combustion temperature condition of the powerplant and R. P. M. responsive means adjusted by the control member and operatively connected with said regulating means for maintaining said temperature condition and R. P. M. at predetermined maximum values when the control member is set for maximum power,

and overriding means including a torque responsive device operatively connected to said fuel regulating means for decreasing the rate of fuel ow to the powerplant upon increase of torque to maintain said torque within preselected limits.

20. A control system for a thermal powerplant drivably connected to an adjustable pitch propeller and having means for supplying fuel to said powerplant, said system comprising propeller pitch angle regulating means, fuel flow regulating means, means responsive to changes in the speed of the powerplant for controlling said propeller pitch angle regulating means, means responsive to changes in a temperature condition of the powerplant resulting from combustion for controlling said fuel flow regulating means to maintain said temperature within preselected limits, means responsive to the torque output of the Powerplant, and means controlled by said torque responsive means for reducing the rate of fuel supply to said powerplant when said torque output exceeds a predetermined value.

21. An engine control device including a servomotor for controlling the engine fuel supply, resiliently loaded engine torque responsive means for actuating said servomotor to regulate the engine torque, manually adjustable means for altering the resilient load applied to said torque responsive means to vary the engine torque, surrounding atmospheric pressure responsive means for operating said servomotor to vary the engine torque upon changes of altitude, and engine operative temperature responsive means for actuating said servomotor whereby the engine torque may be automatically decreased with increase of said operative temperature.

22. A control mechanism for aircraft engines provided with engine speed control means, said mechanism including servomotor means for controlling the engine fuel supply, torque responsive means operatively connected with said servomotor means for regulating said torque, engine operative temperature responsive means, atmospheric pressure responsive means, and means operatively connecting said speed control means and said temperature and atmospheric pressure responsive means with said servomotor means.

23. A control mechanism for aircraft engines provided with engine speed control means, said mechanism including a servomotor for controlling the engine fuel supply, engine torque responsive means for actuating said servomotor automatically to regulate said torque, a manually operable control member for varying the datum of said torque responsive means, engine operative temperature responsive means, means responsive to air pressure varying with the altitude, and means for operatively connecting said speed control means and said temperature and pressure responsive means with said servomotor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ogle et al. July 14, 1953 

